The present invention concerns a boiler tube position retainer assembly for stabilizing and supporting boiler tubes in boilers. The present invention more particularly concerns boiler tube clips for use in large industrial boilers. Primary or secondary furnace superheaters and reheaters function as important industrial power sources throughout the world. Power boilers, which may be one hundred feet in width or more with boiler tubes of over forty feet in length, are used as industrial power generators in various applications. For example, industrial power boilers may be used as steam generators in paper mills or power plants.
Similar to a smoke stack, superheated gases enter through one end of a furnace and exit through the other end. Metal boiler tubes are positioned across the flow of heated gas to maximize the heat transfer to the metal tubes. Boiler tubes are spaced apart to allow gas to flow around the metal boiler tubes. Although these metal boiler tubes are positioned to maximize heat transfer, debris may get caught between the boiler tubes if they are spaced too close together. If boiler tubes are positioned too far apart, heat transfer may not be maximized.
When water is pumped through the boiler tubes, the boiler becomes a powerful steam generator. Water entering into the boiler tube at one end may quickly heat to become superheated steam of over nine hundred degrees Fahrenheit.